Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has justified the hike in excise duties on petrol and diesel saying that revenues are evenly shared with the states. Responding to opposition demand in the Rajya Sabha today, Mr Jaitley said that part of the reduction in the global oil prices is passed on to the consumers while loss in revenue due to procurement by oil companies at higher prices earlier, is partially compensated. <br/><br/>The finance minister said the central share of higher revenues goes to infrastructure by building national highways and rural roads. As soon as the House met for the day, Opposition leaders demanded the cut in oil prices should be passed on to the consumers. Initiating the discussion, Anand Sharma of the Congress alleged that the government is profiteering and trying to make up the fiscal deficit. <br/><br/>Tapan Kumar Sen of the CPIM, Rangopal Yadav if the Samajwadi Party, Sharad Yadav of the JD(U), Sukhendu Sekhar Roy of Trinamool Congress, Satish Mishra of the BSP, Bhupender Singh of BJD, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Akali Dal, A Navneetakrishnan of the AIADMK and D Raja of the CPI, participated in the discussion.<br/><br/>Later, when the question hour began, Congress members started raising slogans on the political development in Arunachal Pradesh. Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari adjourned the House for 30 minutes till 12.35 PM. As similar scenario continued, the House was further adjourned till 2.00 pm.
News On AIR | December 16, 2015 12:57 PM
Govt defends hike in excise duties on petrol, diesel; Says, revenues evenly shared with states